English Language Arts9-12+
Hadestown Bilingual Guide for High School
By Michael R.
A side-by-side English-Spanish study guide to Anaïs Mitchell's musical Hadestown, with plot and character summaries, major plot points and themes, background on the Great Depression and the Greek myths it reimagines, and supporting visuals. Students build reading comprehension, vocabulary in both languages, and an understanding of how myths are modernized.
Customize for your classroom
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use the packet as a pre-listening or pre-viewing primer before students experience the musical, or as a review after a first encounter with the story.
- Discussion question: How does setting the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice during the Great Depression change its meaning, and what does Hades's underground city suggest about economic systems?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: have them read the English and Spanish columns in parallel and use the Key Terms section to preview vocabulary before each reading segment.
- Extension for advanced students: ask them to compare Mitchell's version with a classical source such as Ovid's account of the myth and write a short analysis of one changed theme.
- Estimated time: about 60 to 90 minutes for a full read-through and discussion, or split across two class periods.
English Language Arts9-12+
Hadestown Bilingual Guide for High School
By Michael R.
A side-by-side English-Spanish study guide to Anaïs Mitchell's musical Hadestown, with plot and character summaries, major plot points and themes, background on the Great Depression and the Greek myths it reimagines, and supporting visuals. Students build reading comprehension, vocabulary in both languages, and an understanding of how myths are modernized.
Customize for your classroom
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use the packet as a pre-listening or pre-viewing primer before students experience the musical, or as a review after a first encounter with the story.
- Discussion question: How does setting the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice during the Great Depression change its meaning, and what does Hades's underground city suggest about economic systems?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: have them read the English and Spanish columns in parallel and use the Key Terms section to preview vocabulary before each reading segment.
- Extension for advanced students: ask them to compare Mitchell's version with a classical source such as Ovid's account of the myth and write a short analysis of one changed theme.
- Estimated time: about 60 to 90 minutes for a full read-through and discussion, or split across two class periods.